Conserve Your Own Energy When Weatherproofing Your Home

With a few simple steps, you can benefit the environment while making your home more comfortable and energy efficient. Home experts estimate that up to $350 a year of heated and conditioned air literally go out the window... and doors and other spots in homes that aren't properly sealed. If you totalled all the areas around the house that need caulking and weatherstripping, you'd have the equivalent of a three-foot gaping hole in the wall.

These helpful do-it-yourself tips from the experts at DAP, a leader in home improvement and repair, can help cut your home energy costs:

  • Leaky windows cause 15 to 35 percent of total home heat loss. Use insulating foam sealant or caulk to seal cracks and gaps around window frames and where glazing meets the sash and the sash meets the jambs on windows.

  • Seal around door frames and add weatherstripping at the bottom or sides if needed (new doors typically come weatherstripped). Use insulating foam sealant when installing or replacing storm windows or doors. For additional draft protection, tightly fit shrink film over windows.

  • Seal and insulate inside and out. Fill in tiny cracks and big gaps. While most people routinely check windows and doors, exterior leaks also demand attention. Use foam sealant to fill big gaps around your foundation. Any opening in the frame of your house needs a sealant. Experts point out that all this is a lot simpler thanks to new easier-to-use products such as DAP®texª, a latex-based insulated foam sealant that washes up with soap and water, and Alex Plus® Easy Caulk, neither of which requires a caulking gun.

  • Seal from bottom to top-basement to attic. In the basement, check along the floor as well as basement windows and doors. Use foam sealant to close gaps and cracks in crawlspaces.

    An informative brochure about weatherproofing and other useful home maintenance advice for do-it-yourselfers is available free by calling 1-888-DAP-TIPS. (NAPSI)

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